Phase II: Advanced Personal Gas Detectors for Mining Applications

描述（由申请人提供）：由于存在可燃气体，地下矿井中的爆炸风险很大。拟议项目的总体长期目标是开发和商业化新一代负担得起、可靠和便携式危险气体探测器，采用智能气体卡格式，用作个人安全工具。开发这种易于使用和佩戴的用于检测可燃气体（例如甲烷）的个人监测器将对工人的健康和安全有很大的益处。在第一阶段，Synkera成功地证明了这种监测仪的关键元件的可行性，即用于检测可燃气体的低功耗，高性能可靠的气体微传感器。现在，第二阶段工作的目标是将传感器技术提高到便携式探测器所需的成熟水平，并开发智能可燃气体卡的原型。它还将促进为每一组地下矿工和每一个单独工作的矿工开发一个智能多气体卡（甲烷、氧气和一氧化碳）。目前市场上的便携式可燃气体检测器通常采用催化珠传感器，或者在永久安装的情况下，也采用红外（IR）传感器技术。由于体积和成本（IR）或高功耗（催化珠），这些不适合个人监测。此外，必须提高现有可燃气体传感器的稳定性和可靠性，以实现故障安全操作。所提出的新的和改进的催化可燃气体微传感器基于新的微传感器平台技术，将具有高表面积的精密设计的纳米结构感测元件集成到坚固的单片陶瓷平台中。为了实现项目目标，在第二阶段，Synkera将（1）完成传感器开发并实现目标性能;（2）开发和验证特定应用的传感器，（3）确定和验证按比例放大的方法，（3）开发便携式智能卡监视器的低功耗电子设备，（4）制造智能可燃气卡原型和（5）为微传感器和智能气卡产品的商业化发展伙伴关系。拟议项目是一个机会，可以开发具有高度竞争力的产品，以满足行业对个人安全工具的需求，消除当前的成本和性能障碍，并为工人的健康和安全提供实质性的好处，使个人能够在危险条件下以及在事故发生期间和之后做出拯救生命的决定。公共卫生相关性：采矿业是最具挑战性的职业部门之一，涉及不利的工人条件，包括危险和可燃气体的存在。目前的气体监测是通过固定系统和便携式仪器完成的;然而，目前便携式仪器的尺寸和成本一直是所有采矿员工使用它们的障碍。拟议的传感器将支持一种新型的显着改进和廉价的便携式可燃气体监测器供个人使用，从而使一种新的方法来减轻这种职业的内在危险。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The risk of explosions in underground mines due to the presence of combustible gases is severe. The overall long-term objective of the proposed project is to develop and commercialize a new generation of affordable, reliable and portable hazardous gas detector in a Smart Gas Card format for use as a personal safety tool. The development of such an easy to use and wear personal monitor for the detection of combustible gases (e.g. methane) would be a substantial benefit to worker health and safety. In Phase I Synkera successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the critical element of such monitor, namely a low power, high performance reliable gas microsensor for detection of combustible gases. Now the objective of the Phase II effort is to advance the sensor technology to the maturity level required for portable detectors and to develop prototypes of Smart Combustible Gas Cardj. It will also facilitate the development of a Smart Multigas Card (methane, oxygen and carbon monoxide) required for each group of underground miners and for each miner who works alone. Portable combustible gas detectors on the market today typically catalytic bead sensors, or in the case of permanent installations, also infrared (IR) sensor technology. These are not suitable for personal monitoring due either bulk and cost (IR) or high power consumption (catalytic bead). Additionally, the stability and reliability of existing combustible gas sensors must be improved in order to enable fail-safe operation. Proposed new and improved catalytic combustible gas microsensors are based on a new microsensor platform technology, integrating precision-engineered nanostructured sensing elements with high surface area into a robust monolithic ceramic platform. In order to achieve the project objectives, in Phase II Synkera will (1) complete the sensor development and realize targeted performance; (2) develop and validate application-specific sensors, (3) identify and validate scale-up approaches, (3) develop low power electronics for portable Smart Card monitors, (4) fabricate Smart Combustible Gas Cardj prototypes and (5) develop partnerships for commercialization of microsensors and Smart Gas Card products. The proposed project is an opportunity to develop highly competitive products that address industry needs for personal safety tools, eliminate current cost and performance barriers, and provide a substantial benefit to worker health and safety, empowering individuals to make life-saving decisions in hazardous conditions as well during and in the aftermath of accidents. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The mining industry is one of the more challenging occupational sectors that involve adverse workers conditions, including the presence of hazardous and combustible gases. Current gas monitoring is accomplished via both fixed systems and portable instruments; however, the size and cost of current portable instruments has been a barrier to their use by all mining employees. Proposed sensor will support a new type of dramatically improved and inexpensive portable combustible gas monitors for individual use, thus enabling a new approach to alleviating intrinsic hazards of this occupation.